It's a good thing my face is hidden because I feel my cheeks heat up. I don't have to look to know I'm blushing.
"Can you two save your bedroom gymnastics for later? We're going to be late." Demi comes strolling down the hallway and smirks as she passes us. She's wearing a tight, navy blue mini dress that cuts off mid-thigh. Brody is watching her every movement. She trades a look with Grayson as she passes and it makes me wonder, what are they up to?
"How did your game go?" Demi asks Brody, who's still staring at her.
"We lost," he replies.
I look up at Grayson. He's frowning. I rub my finger between his eyes to smooth out his frown lines and kiss the side of his mouth. "I'm sorry you lost," I say. I can't imagine how Uncle Alex is taking the loss.
"Ah, it's alright," he replies. "I have a feeling our night is about to get a whole lot better.”
I grin, because I simply can't help myself.
"Ok seriously guys, let's go before y'all do the deed right here," Demi quips. Our eyes meet and I shoot her a dirty look. She's making it too obvious and I don't need her spoiling my plans.
Grayson threads his fingers through mine and pulls me out the door. We head to the parking lot and I get in Grayson's truck, while Demi gets in Brody's. I'm not entirely sure why we're in two separate cars but don't bring it up. It works for me if Grayson and I will have the apartment to ourselves tonight.
Grayson pulls onto the road but heads in the opposite direction of Nicky's, which is where we decided to celebrate my birthday. "Where are we going?"
Grayson looks over at me. "I have to make a quick stop," is all he says. He's up to something. I can feel it.
Ten minutes later we pull up to the front of Uncle Alex and Aunt Emma's house. The drive way is lined with cars. Why would there be so many people here?
Brody and Demi pull up shortly after us and we all walk to the front door, not bothering to knock when we walk in. Grayson walks me straight outside and I almost jump out of my skin when everyone yells "Surprise!"
It's a party. For me.
Grayson kisses my temple and says, "Happy Birthday baby."
I look around and see that there are fairy lights hanging from every tree in the garden, making it look whimsical. There's a kissing booth, popcorn machine, cotton candy machine and photo booth, all strategically placed to make it look like a carnival. I told him once that I've never been to a carnival before but I've always wanted to go. I also told him that popcorn and candy floss are two of my favorite things at a carnival, along with the kissing booth and photo booth.
He remembered.
"You did this?"
He shrugs like it's no big deal but it's actually a pretty huge deal. Tears prick my eyes at his thoughtfulness. Before I can say anything more, my aunt approaches us and pulls me in for a hug. "Happy birthday sweetheart. Your mamma and daddy would've been so proud of you, just like we are." I bite the inside of my lip to stop the tears from coming at the mention of my parents. I want to enjoy my birthday and remember the happier times, rather than dwelling on my parents' absence. Uncle Alex walks up next and gives me a bear hug. "Happy birthday sweet girl." I smile up at him, seeing the same features that my father had. I take turns greeting everybody, some faces I know and others I'm meeting for the first time.
We spend the evening socializing and laughing and eventually I'm dragged to the kissing booth. I'm told that because I'm the birthday girl, everyone should get a kiss from me. Of course Grayson is last and kisses me far too inappropriately in front of all the guests. I playfully smack his chest but go in again for a quick peck. This causes the people around us to laugh. Being this playful with him feels natural, right.
After what I can only describe as a near perfect night, the guests start saying their goodbyes and soon it's just the six of us. I find it strange that Demi didn't leave with Tommy. But then again, I have a feeling she wants to spend more time with Brody, even if she acts like she can't stand him. We say goodbye to my aunt and uncle and I thank them for the best birthday ever. It wasn't even a milestone birthday, yet I was spoiled like turning nineteen is significant. I wish my parents could've been here to celebrate with me. Somehow I know they are, even if it's from above, amongst the millions of stars that light up the night sky. They're watching over me.
"You ready to go home?"
I look over at Grayson as he climbs into the drivers' seat of his truck. "Yes. Thank you Gray, for everything. It was the best birthday ever." I smile.
He laces our fingers together and kisses the back of my hand. The gesture is just so sweet, I melt a little.
"Anything for my beautiful girl," he says. "But it's not over yet."
No it isn't.
We arrive at my apartment building a short while later and as soon as we step into the apartment, my nerves surface. How do I initiate this? What if he doesn't want me like that?
Relax, I tell myself, He's not Jake
Grayson locks the door behind him and takes my hand in his. Wordlessly, he pulls me down the dark hallway leading to my room. "I'll be right back, wait here," he says, his voice soft and nervous. Does he know what's about to happen? I stand in front of my bed rather awkwardly and wait a few minutes before he reappears.
"I wanted to wait until we were alone to give this to you." He's standing in front of me holding a small box with a blue ribbon.
"You didn't have to get me anything." I hate the idea that he spent money on me.
"Of course I had to. I wanted to get you something special that will always remind you of me." His green eyes are bright and soft, filled with something I never expected to see when he looks at me.
Love.
I open the box. Inside is a silver chain with a pendant in the shape of a music note.
"Grayson, it's beautiful." And it really is.
"The music note reminded me of your voice, because after that first night I heard you sing, I was a goner."
I am deeply touched by his thoughtfulness, the time taken to find something so sentimental to him. To both of us.
"I love it."
"Turn around, let me put it on for you."
When his fingers make contact with the soft skin behind my back, I shiver. He kisses me behind my ear and that familiar heat sparks between my legs. I turn to face him, watching his eyes as they watch me in return. I stretch onto the balls of my feet and kiss him softly. He rests his hands on my hips and I trace my hands up his chest until I reach the top button of his shirt. I start unbuttoning it, one button at a time, and look up to see understanding on his face. He knows what I'm asking for.
I push his shirt off and he grabs my wrists. "Are you sure? We don't have to if you -"
I cut him off by placing my finger over his lips. "Sshh," I whisper. "I want this. I want you."
He swallows hard and moves his hands to the hem of my shirt. He lifts it over my head and I hear his sharp intake of breath. He pops the button on my jeans open and slides them down my legs. I'm standing in front of him in nothing but my red lace ensemble and suddenly have the urge to cover myself up.
"Don’t," he says. "You are too beautiful to hide. I couldn't have dreamed you up if I tried."
His words shock me and with them, all the nerves I might've had are replaced by excitement. And desire.
I stay silent as I unbutton his jeans and watch him step out of them. He's only wearing his black Calvin Klein boxer briefs. It's impossible to miss how beautiful and God-like his body is. His muscles are toned and show off brute strength. The sight of him makes my mouth water.
He lifts me off the floor and I wrap my legs around his waist. He drops me onto the bed and hovers over me. "My beautiful girl," he murmurs. His term of endearment and the sincerity with which he says it are almost too much. They make me feel like the beautiful girl he sees.
He lowers himself onto me and I feel is hard length against my thigh. My physical need for him intensifies and I don't know how I waited this long to have him.
He reaches beh
ind me and unclips my bra, sliding the straps down my arms. He kisses me deeply before trailing kisses down my throat, stopping between my breasts. "So beautiful," he whispers, his hot breath causing goosebumps to break out across my skin. He sucks my pebbled nipple into his mouth and I arch into him, craving more. His mouth lets go of my nipple, making that popping sound, and he moves to the other one, giving it the same attention. His free hand trails down my side and hooks my panties, pushing them down. His mouth leaves my body as he sits up to remove my panties the rest of the way. He kneels between my legs and lifts them so that my calves rest on his shoulders. My stomach clenches in anticipation of what he's going to do next, knowing it's something I've never experienced before.
When realization hits, I reach up to stop him but he pins my wrists to the bed. "Gray, no one's ever..." My words trail off. His eyes meet mine as he leans down and blows hot air over my wet flesh. Oh God. "You smell like vanilla. My favorite."
I want to hide my face but I'm too intrigued to look away. He slides his tongue through my slick folds and I buck off the bed. I wonder if now's the time to tell him I've never had an orgasm before but all coherent thought leaves my body when he sucks my clit into his mouth. There's an unfamiliar stirring in my belly that builds and builds. He let's go of my wrist and slips one finger inside me, his mouth never relenting the torturous work on my little bundle of nerves.
"Grays..." I moan, only half his name coming out of my mouth in a strangled whisper. I grab his hair and ride his mouth as he slips another finger inside. On the last stroke he curls both fingers up. The tiny movement makes everything explode around me. I scream his name as my release hits me, making me quiver almost violently. My arms and legs feel like jelly and I close my eyes, making an effort to calm my erratic breathing. He chuckles and I feel him get off the bed. He's only gone for a few seconds and when the bed dips under his weight again I open my eyes. I've never watched a guy roll on a condom before and something about it feels extremely intimate. I look at his hard, solid length and gasp. As if he can read my mind, Grayson settles over me and says, "I'll fit. You can take all of me."
He positions himself at my entrance and I grab onto his biceps. I pinch my eye's closed, waiting for his welcomed invasion of the most private part of myself. "Look at me," he whispers. "I want to see your face."
I open my eyes as he slides in, inch by excruciating inch. The feeling is unfamiliar but at the same time exquisite. He stretches me until I've taken all of him. I'm filled with him. He breathes heavily against my shoulder, "So tight," leaving his mouth in a rush. I trail my hands down his back, grabbing his bottom to encourage him to move, and wrap my legs around him.
"Gray," I almost choke out, "I need you."
My body is in overdrive and I need to feel this. Feel Grayson.
His clear, green eyes meet mine and something flashes in them. The recognition and understanding that after tonight nothing will be the same. We won't be the same.
"I know baby."
He starts moving, slowly at first, drawing out his even strokes. My hips start moving of their own accord and match his rhythm. He picks up the pace, sliding in harder and harder and his thrusts hit the deepest part of me every time. Our bodies are slick with sweat and I'm clawing at his back, pulling him closer to me even though there is no space left between us. I'm close and I want to tell him, but I feel the need to surrender my body to him and let him take me instead.
My stomach muscles clench and as if he knows I'm about to let go, he slips his arm under my hips and lifts my hips slightly. It makes the tip of his length hit my sweet spot, causing an internal explosion unlike any other. "Grayson," I scream, louder than the first time. I dig my nails into his back and hold on as he falls over the edge with me. He growls my name as we quiver together, in a mess of sweat and bed sheets. I rest my feet on his bottom and feel his muscles tense with his own release. It's sensual and sexy and such a turn on to know I can drive him crazy.
He lifts his head and looks at me, sweat sliding down his temples. He wipes the hair from my face and gives me his crooked smile. "Wow," he breathes, "That was incredible."
"Yeah," is all I can get out between my still shaky breathes. My entire body feels like jelly. Totally relaxed.
I know now that I will never get enough of him. Just once won't be enough to satisfy the hunger he's created. I want him, over and over again.
I kiss him, brushing my lips over his. He returns the kiss and I feel him stir from inside me.
"Again?" I ask. Surely it's not possible so soon.
He chuckles, causing a vibration to travel through my body and coil between my legs where we're still connected. Apparently I could go another round as well.
"I'll never have enough of you."
I say "Ditto" and he chuckles again. He kisses me one last time before sliding out and getting up to discard the condom. I watch him walk into the bathroom, staring at his beautiful, naked butt.
Oh yes, that's mine.
A few minutes later, he slips into bed and under the sheets with me. Niether of us make a move to put clothes on. He has thoroughly depleted my energy to do so anyway. He pulls me to him and I rest my cheek against his chest. The sound of his heartbeat is soothing and one of my new favorite sounds. Our legs tangle together and he rests his hand in the arch of my back.
As I drift off to sleep, he kisses my forehead and I think I hear him say "I love you," but in my-post sex state of bliss I can't be sure. The idea of him saying it doesn’t scare me though.
Because I feel it too.
I love Grayson.
I am In love with Grayson.
And in this moment, I am exactly where I am supposed to be.
Chapter 16
~ Grayson ~
My eyes fly open and I turn, expecting to find Huntley lying next to me.
But the bed’s empty.
Her vanilla scent is on the sheets and it brings back memories of last night. It was the most perfect night of my life. The feel of her skin on mine, chest to chest, nose to nose… It sends a shiver down my spine. If I thought she was beautiful in every way possible, seeing her beneath me, quivering with me inside her and screaming my name is… inexpressible. Sex has always been just sex to me, but after last night with Huntley is was so much more.
I jump out of bed, pull my jeans on and pad down the hallway in search of her. When I find her standing in the kitchen, she has my grey button up shirt on, with her earphones tucked in her ears and she’s singing along to Jana Kramer’s ‘Why Ya Wanna’. She bends to slip a tray of some kind into the oven and I see her black lace underwear peeking out from under my shirt.
God have mercy…
It’s black lace with a pink bow just above her butt.
I walk into the kitchen as quietly as I can and wrap my arms around her waist, making her jump a little. I smell her hair, inhaling her intoxicating scent that is now a heady combination of vanilla and me. I move my shirt to the side to expose a bare shoulder and trail lazy kisses up her neck, stopping just as I reach the soft skin below her ear. I feel her shiver and push my hips into her back so she knows I’m driving myself just as crazy as I am her. She turns in my arms and stares at me, sporting a smile from ear to ear. Her hair is messy and she’s got that ‘just fucked’ look on her face. She’s strikingly beautiful. So much so that it makes my heart beat faster and slower at the same time.
“Well good morning to you too sleepy head,” she whispers.
“Good morning my beautiful girl,” I reply. I can’t help grinning like a Cheshire cat who got the cream. A light shade of red spreads across her creamy cheeks, my term of endearment making her blush. She knows she’s beautiful. But unlike most girls who would flaunt their flawless genetics, Huntley has the kind of modesty that only makes her that much more appealing.
“Did you sleep well?” she asks, trying and failing to look innocent. The blush doesn’t leave her face as she looks up at me from beneath her thick eyelashes. I decide I want to be the
only man to make her cheeks glow like that.
“I was sleeping great until I woke up alone,” I pout. She giggles and the sound travels through me. It awakens an unfamiliar feeling deep within my soul, a feeling I thought had died a long time ago.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t sleep so I decided to come make some cupcakes.” Her excitement over something as simple as baking cupcakes makes me smile. My girl is easy to please. I try not to think about the double meaning of that realization, but it’s a difficult feat considering I know damn well how responsive Huntley’s body is.
“Are you saying I didn’t tire you out?” I whisper, laying a single kiss at the base of her throat. “Should I try again?” Her breaths quicken and my hands instinctively tighten around her waist. I’m going to drive us both up the damn wall if I’m not careful, but I want to take advantage of how easily she opens up to me when we’re like this. I can’t pass up the rare opportunity to see what’s beneath her beautiful.
When it’s just us.
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” she barely gets the words out between her heavy pants.
I lean around her, sticking my finger in the vanilla cupcake batter, and trail my sticky finger from her ear to the base of her throat, where my lips meet her soft skin. “I never promise something I can’t deliver,” I growl. I lick the sticky batter until I’m back below her ear. Even the taste of her is inebriating. I’m already drunk on it and so very addicted.
“Oh yeah?” Her voice is husky, like she's been screaming. A lot. The thought of hearing her scream my name again sends a thrill through my entire body.
“Are you challenging me baby?” I meet her eyes and I see the excitement spark in their immeasurable depths. I think I see something resembling love flit across them too, but I can’t be sure.
“Maybe I am,” she smirks.
Before I can reply, she sticks her fingers in the cupcake batter and smears it across my face. She looks at me and pulls her bottom lip between her teeth, stifling a laugh and waiting for my reaction.
Beneath Your Beautiful Page 12
